Glaittli

Monday, April 5, 2010

Daniel & Alice Hall Gorsuch

Persons interested in the Gorsuch family might want information on the parents of Rev. John Gorsuch. Below is one section from a book "In Search of Footprints" that I published and had copyrighted in 1998. The footnotes provide several good sources for persons interested in this family.

Daniel Gorsuch and Alice Hall Family

Daniel and Alice Gorsuch were the parents of three children:

John - Born at London in 1600. Married Anne Lovelace.1 See Reverend John Gorsuch and Anne Lovelace Family.

Katherine - Married Thomas Haynes of Auburn, Wiltshire. Their son Daniel married Elizabeth Lovelace, sister of Ann who married John Gorsuch.2

Mary - Died young.3

The family lived within the square mile of the city of London near Old St. Paul's and possibly at Bishopgate. Daniel became known as "Late Alderman's Deputy of Bishopgate." In 1622 and 1633, he held the office of Warden of the Mercer's Company.4

The three children almost certainly received their early schooling at home, although John likely went on to attend grammar school at either St. Paul's or the Mercer Company, each within a half mile of their home. On June 18, 1617, young John was admitted as a Fellow Commoner at Pembroke College, Cambridge. The term "Fellow Commoner" refers to a gentleman or nobleman in residence for a period of time, but not following any particular course of study. John graduated from Pembroke in 1620 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.5

Although John Gorsuch was admitted to his father's guild in 1622, he elected to continue his studies rather than to follow in his father's footsteps. In 1624 John received his Master of Arts degree at Pembroke and entered the Church. At Cambridge John was probably greatly influenced by King Charles I's desire to bring religious practices under control, to conduct services strictly according to the Book of Common Prayer with the use of plate, vestments and organ music.6

About this time, Daniel invested in real estate in Walkern, a Hertfordshire village between London and Cambridge, almost five miles northeast of Stevenge, England. One of the properties Daniel acquired at Walkern was St. Mary's, the local parish church that dates from the Saxon era of 950-1,000 A.D. In this time of change during the early 1600s, it was fairly common for wealthy individuals and corporations to invest in a church and the income thus derived from local tithing. Because the old parsonage was some distance from St. Mary's, Daniel built a new one that stands today in much the same configuration. The three floor structure was one of the first all brick houses built in England. Daniel knew the rector would take good care of the facility!7

During the 1630s and after John was appointed rector at St. Mary's, Daniel repaired and improved the church, building a burial monument for himself and his wife into the south wall of the chancel and adding a communion table behind the rails under a new east window.

Daniel was buried here on October 8, 1638. Hanging near the monument is the Gorsuch Coat of Arms that originally belonged to Daniel's uncle, Robert Hillson. Letter patents granted in 1577 allow the Hillson arms to be used by Gorsuch descendants.8

In a will dated October 6, 1638, Daniel left property in London to his wife and son. A sum of 500 pounds was left to his daughter Katherine, and his grandchildren were left property in Weston, a village less than a mile from Walkern. Friends and relatives, including cousin Edward Gorsuch of Lancashire, were left legacies of various kind.9

Daniel's wife Alice was still living at Weston in 1647.10 Alice died at Weston Parish, Hertfordshire, in January 1663.11 Her will proved at Prerogative Court of Canterbury on February 3, 1663, leaves sums of money to her grandchildren. Her property was left to grandson Daniel Gorsuch, who also was named executor.12

Their son John's marriage to Anne Lovelace about 1628 probably took place at St. Margaret's, near Anne's home at Bethersdon, Kent.13 Anne came from an old, distinguished family that has been traced through numerous generations. Lovelace ancestors reportedly include King Edward I of England and his opponent Robert the Bruce.